In the world where routers are considered the crux of connectivity, finding a reliable router that seamlessly complements your household's design is quite a challenge. With this, TP-Link intros the Archer Air R5 Router and the Archer Air E5 Range extender combo. These network devices promise to bring in style and performance in your household. In this review, we'll take you through a quick unboxing, the setup process, and dive into the devices' performance to help you decide whether this router combo could keep pace to your home connectivity demands.
Pros
- Ultra-thin and minimalist design
- Super fast AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 capability
- Network-extender capability
- Easy to set-up and install at home
Cons
- Slightly expensive compared to competitors
- Tendency to have loose Ethernet port and RJ-45 connection when wall mounted
Unboxing
The first thing that catches your eye when unboxing the TP-Link Archer Air R5 Router and E5 Range Extender is their clean and minimalist packaging. The box departs from the usual teal hues of other TP-Link devices we've reviewed in the past. Aside from the main unit, you'll find the essentials: Wi-Fi Info Card, Quick Installation Guide, RJ-45 Ethernet cable, 3M double side adhesives, wall mount mechanism, bubble level tool, screws, power pack, SIM eject tool, and more.
You can check out our unboxing video via our YouTube channel:
Design
What sets this router apart is its design. Unlike its competitors, which have designs that resemble spaceships, the TP-Link Archer Air R5 router and E5 Range extender boast a simple and minimalist look. It's definitely classy and elegant in its own right, and could easily fit into your home's aesthetics.
Both the router and the extender have a slate-like design; in fact, they are just slightly bigger than my iPad mini 5. I'm glad that there are neither physical antenna that's sticking out of the body, nor complicated movable parts.
The main panel of the router comes in white canvas except for the TP-Link logo that's on the WPS button. Moreover, the bottom side houses the USB-C port, the LAN port and the WAN port; while there's no other pronounced interface in the rest of the sides.
The E5 is even simpler as it only has the USB-C port and the reset slot on the bottom side.
Setup Process
Setting up the TP-Link Archer Air R5 Router and E5 Range Extender is quite straightforward. You just have to simply plug the router to the power source using the power adapter, which uses a USB-C cable. Afterwards, connect the router WAN port to your modem using the ethernet cable that came with the box.
I love that this router uses a flat cable as it adds simplicity to the whole system; and it's easy to manage. You also have to keep in mind that the cables are short; unless you have a third party cable that are long enough to give you flexibility in positioning each device, you may have to plan the layout of your system before jumping in and physically install these devices.
After your hardware has been rightfully connected, you can now setup your network using either of these two methods: TP-Link Tether App or Via Web Browser. To me, the former is easier since you just have to follow prompts on the app to course you through the whole process.
It's available on both Apple App Store and Google Play Store; and with the companion app, it would allow you to manage all the things your network is capable of. For one, you can update your devices' firmware in the app. Plus, you can monitor all devices that's connected to your network, and take advantage of the Wi-Fi 6 features which we'll discuss later.
Likewise, setting up the Archer E5 Range Extender is also easy. All you have to do is plug the device in the power source and make sure you're setting up the E5 near the R5. After the successful setup, you can now place the extender on your preferred location.
The entire wall installation is notably impressive; nonetheless, I observed that there is a tendency for a loose physical connection on the WAN Ethernet port, particularly with the flat RJ-45 cable.
Performance
The TP-Link Archer Air R5 and E5 shine in the performance department. They are geared with smart antennas to boost Wi-Fi coverage, which allows for seamless handling of multiple bandwidth-intensive tasks simultaneously.
With AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 standards, the router and range extender offer impressive speeds of up to 574Mbps over the 2.4GHz band and up to 2402 Mbps via the 5GHz band. The inclusion of 160 MHz bandwidth and 1024QAM enhances streaming and gaming experiences.
The TP-Link Archer Air R5 router also support MU-MIMO which ensures that multiple devices can connect to it simultaneously, making it perfect for a smart home with many devices. The router handles up to multiple simultaneous streams with minimal latency, even with a high number of connected devices.
On top of that, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology is another highlight. It efficiently transmits more data in a single transmission, ensuring fast data transfer. It also comes with Target Wake Time feature to conserve your device's battery by scheduling communications when it's not in use, which is beneficial for smart home devices.
Finally, security is not compromised, with WPA3 support and the capability to configure a guest network. You can allocate data capacity and set connectivity periods to enhance security and control.
Speed Test
The TP-Link Archer Air R5 and E5 perform well in my actual testing. It maintains consistently high download and upload speeds in various locations in our house. In fact, it optimizes our internet plan's speed. With the TP-Link Archer Air R5 router, we are hitting over 400 Mbps in both upload and download speeds.
Should You Buy the TP-Link Archer Air R5 Router and E5 Extender Wi-Fi 6 combo?
The TP-Link Archer Air R5 and E5 Range Extender are powerful and feature-packed router combo that is suitable for a wide range of users. It handles numerous devices without sacrificing performance, making it ideal for smart homes, remote work, and online learning. Plus, the ultra-thin design makes them more appealing to the eyes as they easily fit in your home's aesthetics.
If you're considering upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 without breaking the bank, this router and range extender combo is a compelling option. Moreover, the TP-Link Archer Air R5 and E5 duo is one of the fastest Wi-Fi 6 devices in the market which makes them solid choices for anyone looking for high-speed and reliable Wi-Fi.
Both device are sold separately, the TP-Link Archer Air R5 Router is priced at Php 6,590; while the Air E5 Extender is priced at Php 5,590.
Check out TP-Link's portfolio of network and security devices via their official Shopee store.
